A 22-year-old man who poses as a Soldier has been arrested by men of the Nigerian Police in Adamawa State.
The fake soldier, identified as Paul Shaltha, was on Sunday, arrested for extorting money from a tricycle operator who allegedly violated traffic rules.
The 22-year-old, who resides in Sabon Gari, Sangere FUTY in Girei Local Government Area, was apprehended by the operatives of the command attached to Girei Divisional Police headquarters.
A statement signed by the Adamawa Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, and made available to newsmen in Yola stated that the operatives arrested the suspect while on patrol to ensure safety and security at Sangere FUTY.
“The operatives apprehended the suspect who was sighted parading himself as a military man threatening and extorting money from a trickle rider”.
According to him, the suspect confessed to have extorted money from one Micheal Stephen, a tricycle operator who allegedly violated traffic rules and that he is not a soldier but got the uniform from the market and that it is not the real uniform of the military.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP, S. K. Akande, had ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), CP’s Monitoring unit, Public Intellegence Bureau (PIB) to descend on people of questionable character.
“The CP has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police to immediately take over the matter and ensure discreet investigation as well as the prosecution of the suspect to serve as a deterrent to others.”
He appealed to the general public not to hesitate in reporting men of suspicious character in and around their neighbourhood to the nearest police formation or via emergency numbers.
